Hydrogenated amorphous silicon multi-SOI waveguide modulator with low voltage-length product

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Non-Histaminergic Angioedema Following Infection with COVID-19

Non-respiratory manifestations of COVID-19, including dermatological manifestations, have been reported, and although urticaria associated with COVID-19 has been reported, there have been no reports of non-histaminergic angioedema following infection with mild COVID-19. Non-histaminergic angioedema has a gradual onset and is characterized by submucosal swelling without accompanying urticaria or pruritus, and poor response to antihistamines and corticosteroids. We report a case of non-histaminergic angioedema in a 29-year-old woman with a history of mild COVID-19 infection. Our case highlights the fact that early diagnosis of non-histaminergic angioedema in mild COVID-19 patients is crucial for effective treatment and requires a high level of suspicion from both general and emergency physicians

Age as a risk factor in the occurrence of pneumothorax after transthoracic fine needle biopsy: Our experience

Transthoracic needle biopsy (TTNB) of the lung is a well-established technique for diagnosing many thoracic lesions, and is an important alternative to more invasive surgical procedures. Complications of TTNB include pneumothorax, hemoptysis, hemothorax, infection, and air embolism, with the most common complication as pneumothorax. From June 2011 to June 2014 we performed a prospective study of 188 patients who underwent TTNB with CT guidance at University Hospital of Salerno, Italy. Pneumothorax occurred in 14 of 188 biopsies (7.45%). With the respect of age of patients pneumothorax occurred more frequently in patients aged 60-70 years, while it was less frequent in younger (70 years). In conclusion, data of our prospective study documented that CT-guided TTNB is a safe and reliable procedure in elderly patients with suspected chest malignancy and is well tolerated

Piauí Central Laboratory of Public Health: frequency of mycobacterial species and epidemiological aspects, 2014-2015

Background and Objectives: Knowledge about species diversity of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) and the frequency of tuberculosis (TB) is an important issue in ruralurban regions such as Piauí (northeast of Brazil), of low incidence rate of TB , can help to improve diagnosis and prevention strategies. The aim of this study is to examine some epidemiological aspects and the frequency of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and NTM isolated at the central public health reference laboratory, Dr. Costa Alvarenga, Piauí (LACENPI). Methods: Data records of all mycobacterosis and tuberculosis cases from January 2014 to March 2015 were analyzed. Results : Of the 20% (142/706) positive growths, 70% (99) were Mtb and 10% NTM. The remainde was of inadequate clinical samples, not allowing the identification of even the suspected NTM. The most frequent clinical form was pulmonary with TB patients younger than those infected with NTM (p = 0.001), the majority living in Teresina (52%). NTMs identified were M. abscessus (36%), M. avium, M. intracellulare, Mycobacterium sp. (14% each) and M. asiaticum, M. szulgai, M. kansasii 7% (each). Mtb drug resistance (7.8%) and TB co-infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIVTB) found to be high (49%, 19/39) . Conclusion: The frequencies of Mtb infection, drug resistance and HIV-TB co-infection are still underestimated and failures in the identification of NTM may decrease the actual frequency of these infections. Therefore, there is a need for improvements in TB control and in the diagnosis of NTMs in Piauí

Long‐Term prognosis in children with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: An analysis of 37 patients aged ≤ 14 years at diagnosis

The relation of clinical, electrocardiographic, and hemodynamic findings at diagnosis to presenting features and prognosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in childhood was evaluated in 37 consecutive patients below 14 years of age at time of diagnosis (24 males and 13 females, mean age 7 +/- 4 years). A left ventricular out-flow tract gradient (mean 42 +/- 27 mmHg) was detected at cardiac catheterization in 13 (35%) patients. Clinical, electrocardiographic, and hemodynamic features in patients with and without a pressure gradient were similar. Patients who had moderate to severe functional limitation had a higher incidence of syncopal episodes (p less than 0.001), lower ejection fraction (p less than 0.01), raised pulmonary artery pressure (p less than 0.001), and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (p less than 0.01). During a follow-up of 9.2 +/- 5.1 years (range 2-18), 9 (24%) patients died suddenly (2 with a recorded left ventricular outflow tract gradient). Univariate analysis showed that reduced ejection fraction (p = 0.0001), syncopal episodes (p = 0.003), increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (p = 0.03), and severe dyspnea (p = 0.04) were associated with a poor prognosis. However, multivariate analysis revealed ejection fraction (p = 0.0001) and syncopal episodes (p = 0.0097) as independent predictors of survival. In conclusion, sudden cardiac death was common and was well predicted by the combination of left ventricular dysfunction and syncope at time of diagnosis

Transmission of ultrasonic contrast through the lungs

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Age as a risk factor in the occurrence of pneumothorax after transthoracic fine needle biopsy: Our experience

AbstractTransthoracic needle biopsy (TTNB) of the lung is a well-established technique for diagnosing many thoracic lesions, and is an important alternative to more invasive surgical procedures. Complications of TTNB include pneumothorax, hemoptysis, hemothorax, infection, and air embolism, with the most common complication as pneumothorax. From June 2011 to June 2014 we performed a prospective study of 188 patients who underwent TTNB with CT guidance at University Hospital of Salerno, Italy. Pneumothorax occurred in 14 of 188 biopsies (7.45%). With the respect of age of patients pneumothorax occurred more frequently in patients aged 60–70 years, while it was less frequent in younger (<60 years) and older patients (>70 years). In conclusion, data of our prospective study documented that CT-guided TTNB is a safe and reliable procedure in elderly patients with suspected chest malignancy and is well tolerated

Some insights on the optimal schemes of tall guyed masts

The article presents the technique for simultaneous topology, shape and sizing optimisation of tall guyed masts under wind loadings and self-weight using simulated annealing. The objective function is the mass of the mast structure including guys, while the set of design parameters may consist of up to 10 parameters of different nature. The constraints are assessed according to Eurocodes and include the local and global stability constraints, limitations on the slenderness in mast elements, and strength constraints. The proposed optimisation technique covers three independent parts: the optimisation algorithm, meshing pre-processor that yields computational scheme of mast depending on the design parameters, and finite element program evaluating the objective function and constraints via penalisation technique. As an example the results of optimisation of a typical 60 m tall guyed telecommunication mast with different antenna areas are presented. On the basis of these results, the authors try ascertaining the approximate optimal diapasons of geometry and topology parameters such as the width of the shaft, distance of the guy foundation from the mast axis, heights of the guy attachment levels and so on. The authors hope, this will be helpful for constructors as an initial design of mast topology, shape and element sizing

Polymorphisms of 20 regulatory proteins between Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis are responsible for tuberculosis in humans and animals, respectively. Both species are closely related and belong to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC). M. tuberculosis is the most ancient species from which M. bovis and other members of the MTCevolved. The genome of M. bovis is over>99.95% identical to that of M. tuberculosis but with seven deletions ranging in size from 1 to 12.7 kb. In addition, 1200 single nucleotide mutations in coding regions distinguish M. bovis from M. tuberculosis. In the present study, we assessed 75 M. tuberculosis genomes and 23 M. bovis genomes to identify non-synonymous mutations in 202 coding sequences of regulatory genes between both species. We identified species-specific variants in 20 regulatory proteins and confirmed differential expression of hypoxia-related genes between M. bovis and M. tuberculosis